1) Summary of Procedure: Students are given a list of formulas and a set of word problems. For each word problem, students must select the formula or formulae they would use to solve the problem and identify if there is any information missing from the problem that they would need to solve it. Students are not required to solve the problem. (Peel Publications, 2009)
2) Strengths and weaknesses of Procedure:
Strengths
Weaknesses
Students think about the physics problems and how to solve them without the math of plugging numbers in
Students may misinterpret what the question is asking for and make a similar error on a test or assignment
Students critically think about the givens in the question and what information is relevant
Has students thinking about different types of questions that may seem similar and their differences
(Peel Publications, 2009)
3) Explanation why this is beneficial to student learning: Too often in physics, students take the numbers from the problem that they feel will be beneficial and plug them into whichever formula they will fit into. Using this process, students know that many of the questions do not provide them with all the information they need. They are also not required to solve the question so the thought process changes completely so that students focus on the physics and not the math.
4) 3 examples of the procedure: a. SPH3U (Grade 11 University Physics). Students are given questions based on kinematics, including projectile motion. Some of the questions are missing information related to direction where others will not contain enough information to use the kinematic equations. Questions relating to forces may also be present.
b. SPH4U (Grade 12 University Physics). Students are given a number of questions pertaining to gravitational, electric and magnetic fields. Although many of the questions will require students to do calculations, some questions may have terminology used incorrectly which students must identify.
c. SPH4C (Grade 12 College Physics). Students are given a series of questions based on distance, velocity, time and acceleration. Some are average velocity, average time and average acceleration. Students must figure out which formulae to use and which questions require more information.
5) Curricular expectation for each example: a. SPH3U, B2.3 use a velocity–time graph for constant acceleration to derive the equation for average velocity and the equations for displacement, and solve simple problems in one dimension using these equations B2.8 use kinematic equations to solve problems related to the horizontal and vertical components of the motion of a projectile
b. SPH4U, D2 investigate, in qualitative and quantitative terms, gravitational, electric, and magnetic fields, and solve related problems D3 demonstrate an understanding of the concepts, properties, principles, and laws related to gravitational, electric, and magnetic fields and their interactions with matter
c. SPH4C, B2 investigate, in qualitative and quantitative terms, the linear uniform and non-uniform motion of objects, and solve related problems B3 demonstrate an understanding of different kinds of motion and the relationships between speed, acceleration, displacement, and distance (Ontario Ministry of Education, 2008)
6) How each example is related to student’s lives: a. Students may use this knowledge to get better precision in a sport such as baseball. It will make them think about how systems work.
b. Students will think about how they use terminology in their lives and how they may be using it inappropriately. They may use this to inform others about energy waste.
c. Students may use these terms and this knowledge when taking their driver’s test. They may wish to find out more about speed guns and how they can be used unfairly.
Written by Amy Kelland
Works Cited
Ontario Ministry of Education. (2008). The Ontario Curriculum Grades 11 and 12 Science. Queen's Printer for Ontario.
1) Summary of Procedure:
Students are given a list of formulas and a set of word problems. For each word problem, students must select the formula or formulae they would use to solve the problem and identify if there is any information missing from the problem that they would need to solve it. Students are not required to solve the problem. (Peel Publications, 2009)
2) Strengths and weaknesses of Procedure:
3) Explanation why this is beneficial to student learning:
Too often in physics, students take the numbers from the problem that they feel will be beneficial and plug them into whichever formula they will fit into. Using this process, students know that many of the questions do not provide them with all the information they need. They are also not required to solve the question so the thought process changes completely so that students focus on the physics and not the math.
4) 3 examples of the procedure:
a. SPH3U (Grade 11 University Physics). Students are given questions based on kinematics, including projectile motion. Some of the questions are missing information related to direction where others will not contain enough information to use the kinematic equations. Questions relating to forces may also be present.
b. SPH4U (Grade 12 University Physics). Students are given a number of questions pertaining to gravitational, electric and magnetic fields. Although many of the questions will require students to do calculations, some questions may have terminology used incorrectly which students must identify.
c. SPH4C (Grade 12 College Physics). Students are given a series of questions based on distance, velocity, time and acceleration. Some are average velocity, average time and average acceleration. Students must figure out which formulae to use and which questions require more information.
5) Curricular expectation for each example:
a. SPH3U, B2.3 use a velocity–time graph for constant acceleration to derive the equation for average velocity and the equations for displacement, and solve simple problems in one dimension using these equations
B2.8 use kinematic equations to solve problems related to the horizontal and vertical components of the motion of a projectile
b. SPH4U, D2 investigate, in qualitative and quantitative terms, gravitational, electric, and magnetic fields, and solve related problems
D3 demonstrate an understanding of the concepts, properties, principles, and laws related to gravitational, electric, and magnetic fields and their interactions with matter
c. SPH4C, B2 investigate, in qualitative and quantitative terms, the linear uniform and non-uniform motion of objects, and solve related problems
B3 demonstrate an understanding of different kinds of motion and the relationships between speed, acceleration, displacement, and distance (Ontario Ministry of Education, 2008)
6) How each example is related to student’s lives:
a. Students may use this knowledge to get better precision in a sport such as baseball. It will make them think about how systems work.
b. Students will think about how they use terminology in their lives and how they may be using it inappropriately. They may use this to inform others about energy waste.
c. Students may use these terms and this knowledge when taking their driver’s test. They may wish to find out more about speed guns and how they can be used unfairly.
Written by Amy Kelland
Works Cited
Ontario Ministry of Education. (2008). The Ontario Curriculum Grades 11 and 12 Science. Queen's Printer for Ontario.
Peel Publications. (2009). PEEL in Practice. Retrieved December 2010, from PEEL Project for Enhancing Effective Learning: http://peelweb.org/index.cfm?resource=pip